Aeroplane.



C. L. MOORE.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED s131119. 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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ABROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9.1911. 1,019,987. Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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0. L. MOORE.

ABROPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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army CLARENCE L. MOQRE, OF ALLENHURST, NEW JERSEY.

AEROPLANE.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Application led September 9, 1911. Serial No. 648,472.

To all whom 'it may concern: l

Be it known that I, CLARENCE L. Mooim, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allenhurst, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to flying machines of the aerodynamical type, in which sustentation is secured by the compression and reaction of the air upon the supporting surface or surfaces of the machine when the latter is propelled through the air at or above a determined rate of speed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character embodying a novel construction and arrangement of sustaining elements forming a supporting surface, whereby the area of the supporting surface as a whole is increased l act upon the surfaces of the other series, and

in a fore-and-aft direction, and whereby increased inherent longitudinal and lateral stability is obtained and skidding or side drift prevented or diminished to a material degree.

A further object of the invention is to* provide a construction and arrangement of superposed longitudinal series of aerofoils or sustaining surfaces whereby the air reacting upon the surfaces of one series will be guided and deflected and also caused to whereby the 'air acting upon each of the surfaces of the latter-named series will be -caused to exert a plurality of supporting impulses, thus multiplying-the number of air reactionsand increasing the lifting power of the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel relative arrangement of the aerofoils and driving propellers, by which the latter will operate to impel the air compressed thereby against the aerofoils to further increase and promote the lifting power of the machine.; to provide a supporting surface which, in the event of the failure of the motive power, will serve as a parachute to insure the slow and safe descent of t-he machine to the ground; and to provide a simple, reliable and eicient type of launchin and landing gear.

ith these and other objects in View, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a flying machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with the front horizontal rudder omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the supporting surface of the machine. Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation of one of the channeled supporting surfaces and the underlying plane. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the vertical rudder and its operating means. Fig 6 is a side elevation of one of the supporting wheelsshowing the yielding act-ion thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,'I provide a main frame or fusilage comprising front and rear pairs of transversely-ahmed corner posts, standards or uprights 1 and 2, which may be suitably tied and braced, and which carry and support an upper horizontal frame 3. Extending longitudinally between said pairs of standards is a boat-shaped car or carriage l1 secured to the standards by rods or bars 5 and to the frame 3 by hangers 6, the parts being properly combined and arranged to insure strength with the requisite degree of lightness and rigidity. The car` or carriage is designed to contain one or more seats for the aviator-and passengers, if any, the driving motor 7, and the operating or controlling devices of the steering gear.

The machine is supported upon the ground by rubber-tired wheels 8 mounted upon the lower ends of the respective standards 1 and 2. Each wheel is journaled on an axle 9 carried by a downwardly and rearwardly curved fork 10 pivoted at its upper' end to its supporting standard, as at 11, to swing in a fore-and aft direction. The lower arms of the fork 10 carry an upwardly and rearwardly curvedfork 12, to :which is rigidlyv connected a segmentally-curved arm 13. This arm 13 is slidably mounted in a guide opening 14 formed in the standard and carries at its free end a stop collar or head 15. A coiled cushioning or shock-absorbing spring 16 surrounds the arm between the fork and standard and normally serves to hold the wheel in supporting poposition, as shown in Fig. 1, in which position the pivoted end of the fork lies vertically and the collar or head 15 bears against the standard to prevent forward Swingin movement of the wheel. l The combine vac air into the next succeedin strength of the springs is suflicient to sustain the. weight of the'machine when at rest and in running over level ground. It will be observed that the curvature of the forks 10 throws the wheels in rear of the plane of the standards, so that when the machine runs over rough ground in launching or landing the wheels are at liberty to swing upwardly and rearwardly against the resistance of the springs, in an arc coinciding with the arc of movement of the arms 13, whereby a proper cushioning -action is established to relieve the machine of all shocks and jars. When the machine strikes the ground in landing, the wheels yield to the extent required and the landing shock is taken up and sustained by the springs, whereby liability of injury to the machine is obviated under all ordinary 'conditions The forks of each wheel form substantially V-shaped brackets possessing maximum strength, and this, in connection with the mode of 'yieldingly mounting the bracket, enables a launching and landing gear of simple and eective construction to be provided, whereby all the shocks, vibrations and strains to which the machine is subjected in launchi and landing will be taken up' and absor ed.

Supported upon the frame structure 3 is a series of hood-shaped or channeled supporting surfaces or aerofoils 17, extending longitudinallyin the line' of flight, and each having its top wall curved or inclined downwardly and'rearwardly, so as to travel at av desired angle of incidence for an eilicient dynamical reaction of the air thereon. The enlarged ends of these hood-shaped aerofoils face forwardly, and the reduced rear end of each aerofoil in advance of the rear one of the series nests or extends into the enlarged end or mouth of the succeeding aerofoil. By this construction and arrangement 'cfa series of channeled aerofoils, disposed in tandem or following relation, so as ,to track one another in flight, the'supporting action of acompressed vand confined volume of air on each aerofoil is obtained, and the resistance of such volumesof air to lateral and vertical deflection of the machine prevents sidewise drift or skidding of the machine and diminishes its tendency to tilt unduly on its lon tudinal axis, thus giving it increased latera stability. At the same time by securing a'series of successive supporting reactions inthe line of travel o the machine, the lifting power of the machine is increased, as well as its lonitudinal'stability.

It will be observed that t e efliciency of the aerofoils is further promoted through thel action of the rarefaction surface of each` front aerofoil in guiding and deflecting the aerofoil and against the reaction surface t ereof.

Suitably secured to the frame structure 3 below each aerofoil 17 is a lower or second- 'prising a longitudinally neiges? ary series of. aerofoils 1 8, each consisting of a downwardly and rearwardly curved or inclined plane, and each preferably ribbed or corrugated on'its underside to provide a series of reaction surfaces 19. rl`hese aerofoils 18 coperate with the aerofoils 17 to multiply the supporting surfaces of the machine in such a manner as to augment its lifting power without increase of head resistance. The reaction surfaces give increased eiiiciency, and the sustaining action of the intermediate and rear aerofoils of the series 18 is promoted by arranging them in the path of the air impelled downward from the front and intermediate aerofoils of the series 17, as shown. v

A longitudinal shaft-20 is journaled on the frame 3 and is driven by a sprocket chain 21 or any suitable type of gearing from the motor 7. This shaft-carries a series of driving propellers 22 which respectively rotate at points in their paths of movement within the hoods 17 and in advance of controlling devices 25 and 26. The controlling device 25 vcomprises a hand lever pivote'd to swing fore-and-aft, from which lead connecting cables 27 to crank arms 28 on the shaft or axis of the rudder 23, whereby the latter may be tilted to steer the machine vertically. Thecontrolling device 26 is shown in the form of a steering post or shaft journaled to turn laterally and provided with a hand-wheel 29. Carried by said shaft or post is a drum or pulley 30 about which are oppos'itely wound the forward ends of a pair of cables 31, which lead over suitable guide pulleys 32 to the rudder 24, whereby said rudder may be adjusted in an obvious manner to steer the machine laterally;

In practice, ailerons or other stabilizers, and proper operating means therefor, may be employed, for use in emergencies or under adverse conditions.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In a dying machine, a sup ortin surface comprising a plurality of good-s aped aerofoilsarranged infollowing order, and each havin the form of a section of a cone.

2. In a yin machine, an aerofoil comextendin channeled, lon g1tu inally ta ering hood-shaped body, having the form o a section of a cone, said body being open to provide an air conduit of some depth and restricted width and a downward and rearward 'rection.

iis

3. In a flying machine, a supportinglsurface comprising a pluralit of ta ered oodshaped aerofoils arranged7 in fo owing order, each aerofoil having the form of a section of a cone ywith its top surface curved parabolicall downwardly and rearwardl said aerofoils having their enlarged ends open and facing forwardly and each fore aerofoil having its reduced end partially projecting into the open front end of the succeeding aerofoil.

4. In a flying machine, a curved aerofoil having transverse corrugations forming a plurality of fore and aft reaction surfaces.

5. In a flying machine, a series of curved sustaining planes arrangedone in rear of the other, each having its reaction side corrugated in a transverse direction to provide a plurality of fore and aft reaction surfaces.

6. A flying machine embodying a frame, an upper supporting surface formed of a longitudinal series o hood-shaped aerofoils, and a lower supporting surface formed of a series of curved planes, one or more of said lanes being arranged in the path of the air impelled from said aerofoils.

7. A flying machine embodying a frame, a longitudinal series of channeledv upper sustaining surfaces, and a longitudinal series of lower sustaining surfaces arranged -below and in the path of the air impelle'd from said channeled sustainin surfaces.

8. A flying'machme embodying a frame,

a longitudinal series of channeled sustaining members, a longitudinal series of sustaining planes arranged below said sustaining members, and propellers arranged to rotate at y points in their paths yof movement within said channeled sustaining members and in advance of said sustaining planes, to force the air compressed thereby against the reaction surfaces of said lsustaining members and planes.

9. A flying machine embodying a frame,

a longitudinal series of channeled sustaining members, a longitudinal series of sustaining planes arranged below said sustaining members and having pellers arrange to rotate at points in t eir paths of movement within said channeled sustaining members and in advance of said sustainin planes, to force the air compressed t ereby against the reaction surfaces of said sustainin members and planes.

10. In a flying mac ine, an upper longitudinal series of channeled sustaining members, and a companion lower longitudinal sexes of sustainmg members each having transverse corrugatlons forming a plurality of fore and aft reaction surfaces.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CLARENCE L. MOORE.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE CLAYTON DAvm THuRs'roN.

corrugated faces, and ro- 

